This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture on dynamic changes in Ca²⁺, Na⁺, and H₂O₂ flux following eccentric exercise-induced muscle injury. The total of 324 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (C), eccentric exercise group (E), eccentric exercise with acupuncture group (EA), EA with TRP channel blocker group (EAT), EA with NOX2 blocker group (EAN) and EA with placebo group (EAP). Gastrocnemius muscles were subject to lengthening contractions with percutaneous electrical stimulation, followed by immediate pretreatment with blocking agents. After 30 min, acupuncture needling was administered to the gastrocnemius muscle, and real-time dynamic changes of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and H₂O₂ flux were measured with non-invasive micro-test technique during the needle retention period, immediately, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h post-extraction respectively. Results showed that compared with the E group, acupuncture significantly increased net Ca²⁺ efflux (P < 0.05), extended the period of net Na⁺ influx, and significantly decreased net H₂O₂ efflux (P < 0.05). However, these effects were significantly attenuated in the EAT and EAN groups, where excessive net H₂O₂ efflux was observed (P < 0.001). These findings indicate that acupuncture regulates the dynamic changes of Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and H₂O₂ flux by activating the TRP channels and interacting with NOX2 activity following eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.
Animals ; Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism* ; Rats, Wistar ; Rats ; Male ; Calcium/metabolism* ; Hydrogen Peroxide/metabolism* ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Sodium/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; NADPH Oxidase 2

This study aims to investigate the effects of renin inhibitor aliskiren on kidney injury in human angiotensinogen-renin (AGT-REN) double transgenic hypertensive (dTH) mice and explore its possible mechanism. The dTH mice were divided into hypertension group (HT group) and aliskiren intervention group (HT+Aliskiren group), while wild-type C57BL/6 mice were served as the control group (WT group). Blood pressure data of mice in HT+Aliskiren group were collected after 28 d of subcutaneous penetration of aliskiren (20 mg/kg), and the damage of renal tissue structure and collagen deposition were observed by HE, Masson and PAS staining. The ultrastructure of kidney was observed by transmission electron microscope. Coomassie bright blue staining and biochemical analyzer were used to detect renal function injury. The expression of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in kidney were determined by chemiluminescence method. The content of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunit p47^phox, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) were detected by Western blot analysis. The results showed that compared with WT group, the blood pressure of mice in HT group was significantly increased. The renal tissue structure in HT group showed glomerular sclerosis, severe interstitial tubular injury, and increased collagen deposition. In addition, 24 h urinary protein, serum creatinine and urea levels increased. Serum and renal tissue levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) were increased, serum angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] expression was decreased, and renal Ang-(1-7) expression was elevated. The expressions of ACE, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT₁R) and MasR in renal tissue were increased, while the expression of ACE2 was decreased. MDA content increased, SOD content decreased, and the expressions of p47^phox, iNOS, 3-NT, NOX2 and NOX4 were increased. However, aliskiren reduced blood pressure in dTH mice, improved renal structure and renal function, reduced Ang II and Ang-(1-7) levels in serum and renal tissue, reduced the expression of ACE and AT₁R in renal tissue, increased the expression of ACE2 and MasR in renal tissue, and decreased the above levels of oxidative stress indexes in dTH mice. These results suggest that aliskiren may play a protective role in hypertensive renal injury by regulating the balance between ACE-Ang II-AT₁R and ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-MasR axes and inhibiting oxidative stress.
Animals ; Fumarates/therapeutic use* ; Mice ; Renin/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Amides/therapeutic use* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Kidney/pathology* ; Angiotensinogen/genetics* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; NADPH Oxidases/metabolism* ; Male ; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism* ; NADPH Oxidase 4

This study explored the generation site and regulation mechanism of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells induced by furanodienone(Fur). RKO cells were treated with 200 μmol·L~(-1) of Fur, and the changes in intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase(NOX) activity were detected by the NOX activity detection method. The control group, Fur group, diphenyleneiodonium(DPI) inhibitor group for general NOX, mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant(MitoTEMPO) group, Fur+DPI group, Fur+MitoTEMPO group, and H_2O_2 positive control group were set up. Intracellular ROS levels were detected by the ROS fluorescent staining method, and NOX1-NOX5 protein expressions were detected by Western blot. The NOX1-specific inhibitor ML171 and NOX4-specific inhibitor(GLX351322) were further introduced, and the cell activity was determined by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay. The effects of ROS level change on the protein expressions of NOX4 and peroxiredoxin 1(PRDX1) were measured by Western blot. BAY11-7082, which is an inhibitor of the inhibitor of nuclear factor κB protein α(IκBα), was used to explore the effect of the expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor κB(p-NF-κB) in the nucleus after the Fur treatment on the NOX4 protein level. The lentiviral plasmid and empty plasmid for PRDX1 gene silencing were constructed to transfect RKO cells, and stably transfected strains were screened. The impact of PRDX1 gene knockout on Fur-induced apoptosis was further analyzed using the flow cytometry assay. The findings demonstrate a considerable increase in mitochondrial ROS level in response to Fur treatment, with an increase in intracellular NOX activity. However, the mitochondrial ROS level is significantly reduced in the Fur+DPI group. The results from Western blot and CCK-8 analysis suggest that intracellular NOX1 and NOX4 protein expressions are elevated by Fur treatment, and GLX351322 effectively reverses the pro-apoptotic effect of Fur, while ML171 has a minimal impact on apoptosis rate. Meanwhile, Fur significantly boosts the level of p-NF-κB in the nucleus, whereas the protein levels of p-NF-κB and NOX4 are reduced after the BAY treatment. The regulation of Fur on NOX4 and PRDX1 protein expressions is negatively correlated. In the stably transfected cell strain with PRDX1 gene knockout, the apoptosis rate is considerably higher than that of the negative control group after Fur treatment. The above results indicate that Fur can induce the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells by promoting the signal transduction of NF-κB in the nucleus and increasing the generation of mitochondrial ROS derived from NOX4 to inhibit the PRDX1 protein expression.
Humans ; Peroxiredoxins/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; NADPH Oxidase 4/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; NADPH Oxidases/metabolism* ; Furans/pharmacology*

Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a conserved immune response primarily mediated by NADPH oxidases (NOXs), also known in plants as respiratory burst oxidase homologs (RBOHs). Most microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) trigger a very fast and transient ROS burst in plants. However, recently, we found that lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a typical bacterial MAMP, triggered a biphasic ROS burst. In this study, we isolated mutants defective in LPS-triggered biphasic ROS burst (delt) in Arabidopsis, and cloned the DELT1 gene that was shown to encode RBOHD. In the delt1-2 allele, the antepenultimate residue, glutamic acid (E919), at the C-terminus of RBOHD was mutated to lysine (K). E919 is a highly conserved residue in NADPH oxidases, and a mutation of the corresponding residue E568 in human NOX2 has been reported to be one of the causes of chronic granulomatous disease. Consistently, we found that residue E919 was indispensable for RBOHD function in the MAMP-induced ROS burst and stomatal closure. It has been suggested that the mutation of this residue in other NADPH oxidases impairs the protein's stability and complex assembly. However, we found that the E919K mutation did not affect RBOHD protein abundance or the ability of protein association, suggesting that the residue E919 in RBOHD might have a regulatory mechanism different from that of other NOXs. Taken together, our results confirm that the antepenultimate residue E is critical for NADPH oxidases and provide a new insight into the regulatory mechanisms of RBOHD.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens/metabolism* ; Alleles ; Arabidopsis/metabolism* ; Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genetic Techniques ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides/metabolism* ; Luminescence ; Mutation ; NADPH Oxidase 2/chemistry* ; NADPH Oxidases/genetics* ; Plant Stomata/metabolism* ; Protein Domains ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Nicotiana/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-VitD3) supplementation on cerebral injury after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in mice with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). METHODS: Male C57BL6 mice were randomly divided into Sham group, Vehicle group and 1,25-VitD3 group, with 10 mice in each group. Vehicle group and 1,25-VitD3 group were given MCAO for 1 hour, and then killed after reperfusion for 24 hours. Mice in 1,25-VitD3 group were treated with 1,25-VitD3 at the dose of 100 ng/(kg·d) by injected intraperitoneally for 5 days before MCAO operation. Cerebral ischemic penumbra areas of each group were collected for TTC staining, RT-PCR, TTC staining and immunohistochemistry assay. The function defect of mice was evaluated by using neurological function score. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the volume of cerebral infarction in Vehicle group was increased significantly, and the expressions of IL-6, IL-1beta and Gp91phox in brain tissues were increased significantly (P＜0.05); compared with Vehicle group, supplementation of 1,25-VitD3 reduced the volume of cerebral infarction by about 50% in I/R mice (P＜0.05), and the expressions of IL-6, IL-1beta and Gp91phox in brain tissues of 1,25-VitD3 group were decreased significantly (P＜0.05). The expression of Foxp3, a T-regulatory cell marker, was significantly increased in the brain of mice (P＜0.05), while the expression of Rorc, a transcription factor, was significantly decreased (P＜0.05), suggesting that Th17/gamma Delta T-cell response was reduced and the number of neutrophils in the brain injury site of mice was significantly reduced (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION Vitamin D could alleviate the development of cerebral infarction after arterial occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion, and its mechanism may be through regulating the inflammatory response in mouse brain I/R.
Animals ; Brain ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; drug therapy ; Inflammation ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NADPH Oxidase 2 ; metabolism ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; T-Lymphocytes ; Th17 Cells ; Vitamin D ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of high glucose affecting the apoptosis of schwann cells through Nox4 NADPH oxidase. METHODS: The schwann cells of newborn Wistar rats were cultured in vitro. The cultured cells were divided into four groups: control group, high-glucose group, NOX4 siRNA group and control siRNA group (n=10). The WST-1 method was used to detect the cell vitality, and the DCFH-DA method was used to detect the contents of intracellular reactive oxygen free radicals (ROS). Nox4 and Caspase3 mRNA expressions were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Nox4 and Caspase3 protein expressions were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: High glucose culture up-regulated Nox4 mRNA and protein expressions of schwann cells, decreased activity of schwann cells, increased intracellular ROS content, and promoted apoptosis by increasing Caspase3 mRNA and protein expressions. NOX4 siRNA blocked the accumulation of ROS in the high glucose cultured schwann cells, and reduced the damage of glucose on cell viability, by inhibiting NOX4 gene expression. NOX4 siRNA also reduced cell apoptosis by down-regulating Caspase3 mRNA and protein expressions. CONCLUSION Nox4 was involved in the hyperglycemic-induced apoptosis of schwann cells through ROS. The regulation of Nox4 expression or function might be a new way to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Glucose ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Schwann Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEBoth of gp91(phox) (an isoform of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-reduced oxidases) and Src (a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase) play a prominent role in mediating hypoxia/reoxygenation injury of neurons. The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of equol, a predominant active metabolite of daidzein, against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSPC12 cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury were examined for reactive oxygen species (ROS) using dihydroethidium and 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate and analyzed for changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The expression levels of gp91(phox) and phosphorylated Src-Tyr416 (p-Src) were measured using Western blotting.

RESULTSEquol dose-dependently restored the cell viability and decreased LDH activity and MDA content in culture medium of PC12 cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation. Pretreatment of the cells with 10(-5) and 10(-6) mol/L equol inhibited hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced increase of ROS. PC12 cells treated with equol prior to hypoxia/reoxygenation injury showed significant enhancement of the protein levels of gp91(phox) and p-Src.

CONCLUSIONEquol confers neuroprotection against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in PC12 cells by inhibiting the generation of ROS very likely as a result of down-regulation of gp91(phox) and inhibition of Src phosphorylation.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; Down-Regulation ; Equol ; pharmacology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 2 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; src-Family Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of palmitic acid (PA) on oxidative stress and activation of inflammasomes in hepatocytes.

METHODSTo test the dose-dependent effect of PA on normal murine hepatocytes AML12, the cells were treated with 0, 0.15, 0.25 and 0.4 mmol/L of palmitic acid (PA). The cells were also divided into blank control group, 0.25 mmol/L PA group and 0.25 mmol/L PA+N-acetylcysteine (NAC) group to examine the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the activation of inflammasomes. After 24 h of treatment, lipid accumulation, total ROS, mitochondrial ROS, expression and localization of NOX4, and expressions of inflammasomes and IL-1β were detected in the hepatocytes.

RESULTSCompared with the control cells, PA treatment of the cells significantly increased cytoplasmic lipid accumulation, concentrations of total ROS (12 463.09±2.72 vs 6691.23±2.45, P=0.00) and mitochondrial ROS (64.98±0.94 vs 45.04±0.92, P=0.00), and the expressions of NOX4, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β (1603.52±1.32 vs 2629.33±2.57, P=0.00). The mitochondria and NOX4 were found to be co-localized in the cytoplasm. NAC obviously reduced cellular ROS level stimulated by PA (7782.15±2.87 vs 5445.6±1.17, P=0.00) and suppressed the expressions of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1.

CONCLUSIONPA treatment can stimulate lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and induce oxidative stress through NOX4 and mitochondria pathway to activate inflammasomes and stimulate the secretion of IL-1β.

Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Caspase 1 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Inflammasomes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Oxidative Stress ; Palmitic Acid ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of NADPH oxidase (Nox) in the oxidative stress injury of human dermal fibroblasts (HFbs).

METHODSAn oxidative stress injury model was established in HFbs by exposure to H(2)O(2). Normal HFbs and HFbs exposed to H(2)O(2) with and without pretreatment with NADPH oxidase inhibitor were tested for cell viability using MTT assay, and the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined with a DCFH-DA fluorescent probe. Western blotting was used to measure the protein expressions of membrane-bound subunit gp91phox of NADPH oxidase in the cells.

RESULTH(2)O(2) time- and concentration-dependently induced oxidative stress injury in the fibroblasts, causing a reduction of the cell viability to 40% after a 24-h exposure at 700 µmol/L (P<0.05) and an increase of ROS by 2 folds after a 2-h exposure at 700 µmol/L (P<0.05). Compared with the cells with oxidative stress injury, the cells with NADPH oxidase inhibitor pretreatment showed a 20% higher cell viability (P<0.05) and normal ROS level (P<0.05) following H(2)O(2) exposure. Western blotting demonstrated increased expression of gp91phox in the cells exposed to increasing H(2)O(2) concentrations, but gp91phox expression remained normal in cells pretreated with NADPH oxidase inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONH(2)O(2) can induce oxidative stress injury in the fibroblasts by affecting NADPH oxidase, especially its membrane-bound subunit gp91phox.

Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; enzymology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 2 ; NADPH Oxidases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of angiotension II (AngII) on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODSHUVECs cultured in vitro were treated with different concentrations of AngII for varying lengths of time to determine the optimal concentration and time for AngII exposure. To test the impact of different agents on the effect of AngII exposure, HUVECs were pretreated with AngII receptor blocker losartan, NAD(P)H inhibitor DPI and H(2)O(2) scavenger CAT, caspase 1 inhibitor YVAD, or NLRP3 siRNA for silencing NLRP3, and the protein levels of NOX4, NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β in HUVECs were analyzed by Western blotting.

RESULTSAngII treatment at the optimal concentration (10(-9) mol/L) for 12 h significantly increased the protein levels of NOX4, NLRP3, caspase1 and IL-1β in HUVECs. Pretreatment with losartan, DPI, CAT, YVAD, or NLRP3 siRNA all attenuated the effects of AngII on the cells.

CONCLUSIONAngII can induce vascular inflammation by promoting the production of reactive oxygen species and activating NLRP3 inflammasome to increase the protein expression of IL-1β in HUVECs.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; pharmacology ; Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Caspase 1 ; metabolism ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Inflammasomes ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism